


The Wild Ones

by Punkrock_Kate



Category: Black Veil Brides, Crown The Empire, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Betrayal, Child Death, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, F/M, Lies, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 11:04:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7799287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Punkrock_Kate/pseuds/Punkrock_Kate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the daughter of F.E.A.R., Elizabeth Peters is required to follow F.E.A.R.'s rules and enforce them when necessary. But a run-in with a rebel that belonged to the Wild Ones had her break them. In a matter of days, Elizabeth discovers that what her father told her might have been lies. As she aids the Wild Ones in their attempt to bring down the tyrannous F.E.A.R., she will discover the hardships they face. She will learn of tragedy, loss, and maybe love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_"The kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, not in a mansion of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood, and God is there. Lift a stone, and you will find God."_

I jerk upright and sit in my bed, panting and covered in sweat. I glance at my alarm clock and see the time is 5:45. I groan and lay my head back down on the pillow. It is the fourth time this month that I've had that weird dream.

The dream is always the same: I am in the old concert hall; once a magnificent building but now decrepit and falling apart. A loud noise comes from the stage and I point my flashlight at it, shaking with fear. That was when the man would speak, his voice deep and hoarse. I could see a part of his face; black short hair and piercing blue eyes. Another, louder noise occurs and a bright light flashes before it goes black.

When I first had these dreams, I thought it meant nothing. That it was a simple coincidence. But tonight changes my mind.

I know I can't leave my bed until my father makes the daily F.E.A.R. announcements, which won't happen until he awakens. Doing so would be treasonous to F.E.A.R., and that would conclude in forcing me to leave or, in more severe cases, my execution. Yet, since I am the daughter of F.E.A.R.'s director and creator, I doubt I will suffer punishment. But I don't want to take my chances.

I look around my room. A transistor radio that only turned on in the morning for the F.E.A.R. announcements sits on my end table. If I attempt to turn it on at any other time, I will hear only static. Other than the radio, there are no electric appliances. The only books we have are the ones F.E.A.R. approved and would have a black stamp on the front cover. One of these books is the Bible; F.E.A.R. is Christian based. 

A large window next to my bed looks out to the street and city below. The desert and hills lay in the distance. I would often look out my window and imagine myself wandering in the desert. A part of me longs for adventure outside of the city walls. No rule states that I can't imagine what life would be like without F.E.A.R., though there are rules against acting out. 

I remember once, I asked my father what the world was like before he formed F.E.A.R. I remembered the disapproving look in his eyes.  I remember my mother was pregnant with my baby brother and was knitting him a light blue hat. 

"Why do you ask, Elizabeth?" He asked. I noted his nervous tone as he asked me that question and took a deep breath. 

"Well, in the sermons, you mention the demons that man had before F.E.A.R. rose to power. Are the bad people before us the demons, Father?" I asked. 

"Come up on my lap, child," my father said. I put down my ragged doll and climbed into his chair. 

"Before F.E.A.R., there was the world. The world governed itself with corruption and greed. The people were unhappy. Horrible things happened to people. One of them, in fact, was your mother," he pointed out. I looked back over to my mother, who was knitting again and pretending not to hear. I wondered what horrible thing happened to her.

"But once F.E.A.R. rose to power," he continued. "The bad things stopped. With the help of Big Living Industries, we took back control of the cities and kept the peace. Where there was once corruption and fear, there is justice and security. And so, with F.E.A.R. the world is a much better place." He finished. I nodded, satisfied, and went back to the floor before my nanny came and took me to bed. 

_"We expect the battle for humanity is about to begin."_

I recognize my father's voice and spring up in bed. 

_"Within each uprising, a fake sense of safety will ignite in you. Unseen shadows will slip from doubt towards those who protect and defend you. But let the thoughts slip away and remain calm. Stay close to F.E.A.R. Only we can protect."_

I turn off my radio and put my feet on the floor. My father warned us of a group of rebels that were messing with the community. He told us that if we noticed anything suspicious that we should find him immediately.

I grab my dress make my way to the bathroom. I wash my hair and body in a timely fashion and step out of the shower. I put on my grey dress and braid my long black hair. After that I walk back to my room and put on my earrings, necklace, and ring my grandmother gave me when I was young. 

"Elizabeth? Are you ready?" My brother Josh asks me. 

"I'm ready, Joshua. I'll be out soon," I call to him. I hear him walk away and I stand up and walk downstairs.

My father and mother sit at the dinner table already. A servant girl named Beth makes us breakfast as Josh and I sit at our places. We bow our heads and say a quick prayer before beginning to eat breakfast. 

"Korse informed me of a possible sighting of that girl we're looking for," Father tells us. "It's believed she is staying in an abandoned diner with five other people." 

"Why is the girl important, Father?" I inquire. He wipes his mouth on his napkin and sets it back in his lap.

"According to Korse, the girl is the key to finding the rebels. If we can get her to talk, we'll be able to locate them and..." He trails off and looks at my mother. 

"And what, Father?" I question him. I see my mother shake her head. He turns back to me with a smile on his face. 

"We would question them, of course," he tells me. "We would try and see if there were any way they could join F.E.A.R." I nod and return to the food on my plate. Something makes me think he's hiding something. Once someone left F.E.A.R., there was no way they could return. Doing so would end in execution. 

"What about the girl?" I ask him. He pauses and puts down his fork. 

"What of her?" He asks me. I swallow the lump in my throat and regret asking about her. My father gives me a light glare, and I slump down into my seat. 

"I was wondering if she would at all suffer harm," I answer. Father shakes his head at me and returns to his food. 

"Sit up, dear," my mother says. I rise and begin to eat.

"Would you like any tea, miss?" Beth breaks the silence. I look up and see her standing next to me, tea kettle in hand. 

"I am fine, Beth. Thank you," I smile at her. She was a few years younger than I. Her mother worked for us until her death, at which point Beth became our new servant girl. 

"More tea for me," Josh orders. A frown appears on Beth's face before smiling and pouring into Josh's cup. I sigh; if only my family would realize that Beth was as much a part of this family as we are.

"Hurry up, children," Father tells us as he scoots his chair out. "We leave for service in five minutes." He stands up and hits the tea kettle Beth holds. The hot tea spills all over the table and into Josh's lap. Josh screams in pain and jumps up, tears forming in his eyes. 

"I-I'm so sorry, master! It was an accident, I swear!" She apologizes. My father scowls at Beth and slaps her. 

"Father!" I protest, jumping out of my chair. He turns his glare on me. Beth cries as she lies on the floor holding her cheek.

"You have until it is time to leave to clean this mess. If you are not finished by the time we are ready, I will see to it that you face the consequences," he tells her. Beth looks at him with wide, frightened eyes. I want to stand up for Beth. I want to protest and tell my father that it was an accident and he is being cruel. But doing so will not help Beth. In fact, doing so might make her punishment worse.

They leave the dining room, leaving me with Beth. She still lies on the floor and cries. 

"Beth," I say. "Let me help you clean up." She looks at me with sad eyes as tears fall down her face.

"It is hopeless, Miss," she says. I shake my head and get on my hands and knees.

"If you grab towels and clean up the tea, I can pick up the shards of glass," I say as I pick up the pieces one by one and hold them in my other hand. 

"No, Miss," Beth protests. "Please don't do my job for me. You'll ruin your dress, and then what will your father say?" 

"I do not mind getting tea on my dress. My father was cruel to punish you," I resist. Beth looks at me, speechless, before standing up and getting towels.

We finish cleaning the mess just as my family walks back into the dining room. My mother scowls at us and crosses her arms while Josh shoots daggers at Beth. 

"Well, I see you managed to clean your mess," my father deduces. I hear Beth take a deep, shaky breath.

"Yes, Father," I testify for her. "Beth cleaned this mess by herself. She is speedy and precise." Beth looks at me with shocked eyes. I ignore her and stare my family down. I am not used to lying to my father, as doing so is a sin. 

"All is well, I suppose. Let us head towards church. We are already running late." Beth and I follow them to the front door, where a servant holds the door for us. 

"Thank you, Miss," Beth says. I smile at her and we enter the outside world. My father waits for each of us to exit the home before he and the servant lock the door and follow us. 

"Lying is a sin, Elizabeth," he scolds me as we walk. My face grows warm, but I try to hide it by looking at my grey shoes. Grey is the required color for F.E.A.R.'s citizens. Even Joshua and I are not immune to its rules. 

We arrive at church a tad bit later than usual, but there are still seats available in the first row. Mother, Joshua, and I sit in this row; Beth and the other servants sit towards the back with the other citizens. Guards of F.E.A.R. stand along the wall watching the occupants. Father said that this was for their own protection. He believed the word of God would save their souls and the guards were there to make sure they listened. 

"Miss Peters, I am not late, am I?"

I look up and see my father's friend Korse accompanied by his assistants. The citizens call them Draculoids. They wear all white uniforms and white masks with black hair and red mouths with teeth resembling fangs.

"Oh no, Korse. You are right on time," Mother says. I hold my breath and look up. The Draculoids are staring at me with blank, black eyes. I look away and don't dare make eye contact with them again. I've seen what they do to people Better Living Industries consider traitors.

"How are you doing this morning, Joshua?" Korse asks my brother. 

"I'm well, sir," Josh shakes his hand, a smile plastered onto his face. Korse promised him a job at Better Living Industries once he reaches eighteen. He offered me one, too. I refuse each time he brings it up; being around the Draculoids everyday is the last thing I wish to do. 

"And how are you, Miss Elizabeth?" He turns to me. His smile exposes rotten teeth. His eyes are such a dark brown they are almost black and his head is bald. He wears a gray coat, white frilled shirt, black vest and pants. His voice is soft, but menacing. It teases that he could manipulate you and you wouldn't even know it happened until it was too late.

The service is about to begin. Korse sits next to me. I let out a sigh of relief as he orders the Draculoids to stand with the guards. 

"Welcome, my children," my father starts the service. When I was young, I thought he was talking to Josh and me. I was wrong.

"Before we begin, I would like to make a couple of announcements. If you notice any suspicious activity I ask you to notify authorities immediately. Also, it is my daughter Elizabeth's birthday today," he mentions my birthday, as if the rebels are more important than his own child. I do not mind; this is nothing new. I am but a mere afterthought in the grand scheme of things.

Father then leads the congregation in prayer and continues the service. While he speaks, I look around the church. There are many people here by order of F.E.A.R. The only reason anybody would miss church is imprisonment or death. Sometimes, depending on the severity, you would get to miss church if you fell ill. I have only missed church once in my life; when I was three I had contracted a high fever and bed ridden for about one week. In the meantime, Mother had the nurse read the Bible to me.

"Pay attention. No daydreaming." I attention turns to the hooded guard that scolds me. Whether they are a man or woman I do not know for certain. A black mask and hood covers their face and their black cloaks hide any definitive features. They hold a large staff that resembles the sun and has two horizontal lines in the middle.

Although they aren't as intimidating as the Draculoids, I choose to obey the guard. I turn my attention to my father as he speaks of the importance of F.E.A.R. to the people. It is rinse and repeat when it comes to this part of the service. I don't tend to pay much attention to this. I still have my eyes on my father, but block out the words. I instead think of the desert outside of the city. I wonder what it will be like to see new places. I wonder what the rebels are doing at this moment. Do they have church everyday like us? I wonder what makes them dangerous. Do they hurt people? These are the thoughts that flood my mind as my father ends the service and we stand.

"I see one of the guards talked to you, Elizabeth," my father says when he makes his way towards us. I gulp and look down. I can still feel his cold grey eyes staring me down as we make our way home. After service, the citizens go about their day: children go to school, adults go to work, and Joshua and I head home to study. Mother and Father stay behind to speak with some members of the congregation. Afterwards they will speak with Korse to see if the Draculoids have any evidence to share on the rebels or the girl.

Josh, the servants, and I head back home in silence. I look up at the blue sky and all around me. The city is large and the roads covered with dirt. 

"What is that?" One of the servants asks. I look into the alley that he points to as a figure freezes, wearing all black, including their mask.

"It might be a rebel! I'll go get Father," Josh says as he runs back to the church. The supposed rebel starts running away and without thinking, I run into the alleyway and follow them. 

"Where are you going, miss? Let the guards take care of it! Come back!" The servant calls to me. I ignore him and continue following the runner. The rebel turns left, right into a dead end. Frantic, the rebel looks for a way to escape. They turn around and I see that it's a girl who can't be much older than Josh. She wears a mask that resembles a cat and a black leather jacket. Her blue eyes are wide in terror and she trembles. I walk in her direction and she backs into the brick wall behind her. 

"Please, I won't harm you," I say. "What is your name?" The girl shakes her head in fear and I can tell that she doesn't trust me. I begin to think of any way that I can convince her otherwise. That's when we hear guards running towards us and the girl looks for an escape. 

"Listen to me," I say to her. "There's an abandoned building that can hide you. But we're going to have to run out into the open and find it." The girl shakes her head in protest and I grab her shoulders. 

"If the guards find you, they'll arrest you and interrogate you," I tell her. "You need to trust me so you can get out of here undetected. Can you trust me?" The girl looks into my eyes for a split second before she nods. I let go of her shoulders and look back. The guards are getting closer; it is only a matter of seconds before they find us. 

"Okay, I have a plan, but you are going to have to pay close attention," I say to her. She nods and I continue.

"You are going to run out first, so that it looks like I am chasing you. We are going to run left past four alleyways until you see a burnt out sign that says _Aurora Concert Hall_ on the left. There is an opening in the wall that leads to the main stage. You go through there, and no one will be able to find you," I explain. The girl nods and we hear the guards come closer.

"Are you ready?" I ask her. She nods and runs out into the alley and turns left.

"There she is! Stop right there!" I hear one of the guards yell. I take this as my cue to run after her and turn left as well.

The girl is a few feet from me. She is way faster than I am which is good for the plan. I see the burnt out sign close by and when she turns left, I do too.

"Get in!" I order her. The girl pushes herself into the opening and starts to run in. For some reason, she stops and turns around, close enough to the opening where if the guards come into the alley, they'll see her. 

"What are you doing?" I ask her. "They'll see you!" The girl ignores me and pulls a piece of paper and pen out of her pockets and scrawls something on it before coming back and giving it to me. I look down at the folded up piece of paper in my hand as she runs back through the opening and disappears.

"Miss Peters! What are you doing here?" One of the guards ask. I hide the piece of paper behind my back. A group of five guards stands in front of me and my father, mother, and Josh push through to the front. 

"I-I was chasing the rebel. To see if I could catch her. I was close, but she got away," I lie, making sound like I am trying to catch my breath. I see my father look back to the guards and my mother. 

"The rebel can't be too far away now," my father orders them. "Spread out and look for any signs of her! Now!" The guards disperse and my father walks up to me, a stern look on his face. 

"You are hiding something, Elizabeth," he tells me. His eyes seem to pierce into my soul and my body turns cold.

"Father, there's nothing for me to hide," I reply. He looks down at my hands. They are both balled up in the hopes that he won't know what's in one of them.

"We will discuss this when I return home. For now, go with your mother and brother and study your lessons," he orders. I nod and he walks away. My mother and Josh start to walk away and I open up my hand. There is one word written on the piece of paper: Anna 

"Come on, Elizabeth," my mother calls to me. I fold the paper in my hand and run to catch up. 

"Did you see the rebel? What did they look like?" Josh asks me as we walk.

"Drop it, Joshua. You need to wash yourself when we return home, Elizabeth," my mother remarks. I ignore her and look down at my feet as we make our way home.


	2. Chapter 2

I spend the hours in my bedroom and looking at Anna's name on the piece of paper. I wonder how she became a rebel. Was she born into it? Was she a previous resident of F.E.A.R. and ran away? 

I hear the front door open downstairs and shoot up in my bed as my father's voice booms from the front room.

"Elizabeth! Come down here!" He calls for me. My muscles tense as I hide the paper under a loose floorboard in my room. This is where I keep my belongings; various items that my father would no doubt throw anyone in prison for. 

I walk down the stairs in dread. My father and mother stand in the front room, his eyes an angry glare in my direction and her mouth a frown. Josh had run to the railing on top of the stairs to watch our parents discipline me for whatever it was I had done. Perhaps they are going to talk to me about this morning, or why the guard had talked to me during the sermon. But a thought enters my mind and it causes me to almost run back up the stairs and lock my door: Someone might have seen me help Anna escape. 

"Sit down, Elizabeth," my father instructs me. I look to the armchair and sit down; legs crossed and hands on my lap.

"Joshua, go back to your room," my mother tells him.

"But, Mother I-" Josh begins to protest before my mother tells him once again, her voice an unnatural demanding tone. I watch as Josh lets out a short breath and slumps his shoulders before turning and walking to his room. 

"Elizabeth," Father begins. "You have been acting less than yourself today. You lie to your mother and I about the servant girl cleaning the mess and a guard had to talk to you today during my sermon. This is not like you, Elizabeth. You are almost always a quiet, obedient girl. Is the reason you do these things to receive my attention?" 

"Nothing I have done is for attention, Father," I reply. "The servant girl's name is Beth. She is as much a part of this family as Joshua and I, and it is time that we treat her as such." My parents' eyes widen in disbelief; I had never talked back to them before this. 

"I understand your concern for the servant girl- I mean- Beth, but that is not an excuse for you to lie to us. We know you helped her clean her mess, which is unacceptable," Mother replies. "It is the servants' job to clean up messes, especially their own. To help a servant clean a mess makes them think that we are the same class as them, which we are not. Do you understand?" I hesitate; I don't understand her reasoning. How is helping another person with a problem a bad thing? 

"I suppose I do," I lie. "But that does not excuse Father for hitting her." They look at each other and back at me, awestruck that I would advocate for someone they thought inferior. 

"She spilled hot tea on Joshua and burned him!" Father argues. 

"He was fine, Father!" I exclaim. "And besides, it was your fault for backing your chair into her. If you had paid attention to where she was, you would not have backed into her, she would not have dropped the pot." His eyes narrow in anger, but I am unafraid. Beth had done no wrong; it was an accident. 

"Let us go on to another topic," Mother suggests in an attempt to keep the peace. "What about the guard? Why did he have to speak to you?" 

"I was daydreaming," I shrug. 

"Why were you daydreaming?" Father demands. He is trying to keep calm, I know. 

"I don't know," I tell him. "I was thinking back to what you had said about the rebels and became lost in thought." 

"Speaking of the rebels, one of the citizens noticed you aiding the rebel to safety," Father tells me. Mother gasps and covers her mouth with her hands. My body turns cold and rigid; I was seen helping Anna. Beads of sweat appear on my forehead and I stare at my parents.

"Is it true, Elizabeth?" Mother asks, shocked. 

"Yes, Mother," I whisper, fear coursing through me. I'm going to prison.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Father shouts, standing up and getting in my face. My breathing quickens as I stare into his eyes. 

"She looked so scared, Father," I reply. "She couldn't have been much older than Joshua." 

"Is that supposed to be an excuse?" He yells. "I don't care for that rebel. She stands for something that will send us back to the dark days! Do you have any idea what would happen if word came out of you aiding a rebel? The people wouldn't be able to trust us! Do you have any idea how much convincing it took for me to keep the guards from arresting you?" 

"I don't care about the social repercussions, Father!" I protest. "She was too young to be victim to the guards' mercy! What if it was me or Josh that were the rebel and not her? Would you still testify against me helping her?" 

"Of course I would!" He declares. "The rebels will do nothing but cause trouble. No matter who they are, I will not go back on my word and let them ruin what we have accomplished." I stare at him angrily before my mother intervenes.

"Elizabeth, you need to understand that the rebels are not our allies. They will do anything to get their way, including taking advantage of an innocent girl like you. Don't you think that the reason we try to get them under control is for the well being of you and Joshua?" She reasons. I know arguing with her is pointless. My father has her wrapped around his finger and there is nothing I can do to convince her otherwise. 

"Return to your room, Elizabeth," Father tells me, his energy drained. "And get ready for dinner. Korse is coming." My eyes widen before I blink and stand up slowly. I make my way upstairs, glancing into the kitchen and meeting eyes with Beth.

I return to my room and sit on the bed for a moment. Who would have seen me with Anna? Everybody was on their way to work or school; not a single person was home at the time. 

I sigh and remove my sweaty dress and put on a different, more formal one. I redo my hair into a braided bun and am about to finish putting on lipstick when there is a knock on my door. 

"Come in," I call to the person on the other side. The door opens and Beth appears. 

"Beth! What are you doing up here? Aren't you supposed to be downstairs helping the rest of the servants?" I ask. Beth nods and puts her finger to her lips and silently closes the door. 

"Forgive me for asking you this, Miss," Beth says shyly. "But is it true what you had said? Did you help a rebel?" I hold my breath and sit in a chair, crossing my legs. 

"Yes. I helped a rebel escape," I confirm. Beth slowly nods and looks around my room.

"I remember this room," she reminisces. "I watched my mother do your hair before church every morning and gave her bobby pins." I nod sadly and look down at my feet.

"Your mother was a wonderful lady, Beth," I console her. "She was a second mother to me." Beth smiles sadly at me and we are silent. I remember how her mother died. She was accused of stealing bread from the marketplace and was sent to prison where she died of disease. I remember when the guards tried to take Beth to prison with her mother, but my mother argued with the guards to let her stay with us. 

"She was stupid for stealing that bread," Beth accuses. I look back up at her, shocked. She is struggling not to cry. I stand up and wrap my arms around her, an action that no doubt shocks the poor girl.

"She was doing it to feed you both," I reason. "She did it because she loved you. Any mother would do that for their child." I don't believe my mother would do that for me.

"I should get back to the kitchen," Beth tells me. I let go and nod. She turns to open the door when I have an idea.

"Beth," I stop her and she turns around.

"Yes, miss?" She asks me. I take a deep breath and tell her my idea.

"Tomorrow when we leave church," I whisper. "I am returning to where I left the rebel girl. I'll hopefully be able to get her out of town so she can get back to the rebels. I was thinking, maybe you could come with me and you could escape with her." Beth's face falls and she widens her eyes. 

"I-I could never, Miss," she protests. "If we are caught, we will face certain death." I nod, knowing the consequences. 

"But think of how much better your life would be if you weren't here," I tell her. Beth sighs and looks at the door. 

"I will do it," She says. I smile and give her a small nod as she turns the knob and leaves.

~~~~

"The food is delicious as always. You always know exactly what I desire, Joanna," Korse compliments Mother. I silently groan and look down at my plate, still full of food. I hate meat, yet we have no other food options. 

"Eat your food, Elizabeth," Father orders me. I look up at him and he glares at me. I sigh and cut the meat into pieces and reluctantly put the food in my mouth. 

"Would you like a different meal, Miss?" Beth asks me.

"No, she would not. Stay silent," My mother scolds her. Beth looks away from me and stands back with the rest of the servants.

"You mustn't be so hard on the poor servant girl," Korse tells her. For once, I agree with him.

"You would think, Korse," my mother replies slyly. "That after nine years the servant would know not to speak unless she is serving us or she is requested. That is clearly not one of the few things she knows." Josh laughs at my mother's remark and I look at Beth, who is blushing and looking down.

"And you would think, Mother," I shoot at her. "That after this morning you would be a bit nicer to her. That is clearly not one of the few things you know." My mother gasps and my father stands up, sending his chair to the floor.

"How dare you speak to your mother that way?" He shouts at me. I stand up as well and slam my hands on the table. 

"Beth was trying to help! Isn't that why you keep them here against their will? To make them do the things you are too lazy to do such as be a good parent?" I shout at him. The room is silent as what I said settles in. 

"Go to your room, Elizabeth," My father says silently. I leave the dining room without a word and return to my bed, where I remain the rest of the night.

~~~~

After church the next morning, I leave with the servants and Joshua. I softly nudge Beth with my elbow and signal her.

"We'll meet up with you all back at the house," Beth calls to the group. The group stops and Josh stares at me suspiciously. It's going to be hard to convince him to let us go.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asks us. I stand my ground and stare back at him, relentless.

"I'm going to get Mother some flowers. I want to apologize to her for last night," I reply. 

"Yeah right," Josh accuses me. "You're probably going to look for that rebel from yesterday." I roll my eyes at him, masking my anxiety of him finding out and getting Father.

"Because I would take a servant with me to find a rebel? That's basically asking to be caught," I respond. Josh crosses his arms and looks at the landscape behind us. I know I've won this round. 

"Fine, if you're not back before Father returns home, I'm getting the guards," he threatens. I nod, triumphant, and Beth and I turn to the marketplace. I turn my head and Josh and the servants are walking to the house. I grab Beth's arm and we turn into the alleyway and run.

"It's right here," I say to her. We run left and I see the burnt out sign. We stop at the opening where I had last seen Anna. My heart pounds from running and the fear of being seen. I wipe the sweat off my brow and Beth hands me my flashlight from her purse.

"Are you ready, Beth?" I ask her. She nods and I lead her through the opening and down the halls. The music hall has been out of commission for many years. Spiderwebs are everywhere and there is a musty smell in the air. Beth covers her nose with her hand and we duck under beams that have fallen over as we make our way to the stage. 

"Anna?" I call out. I point my flashlight around the theater as I hope to see her figure. 

"Maybe she left, Miss," Beth suggests. 

"I don't know how she would have been able to leave without being caught," I reply. "The other entrance is blocked by beams and the only way out is the way we came in." Beth is silent and we continue calling out for Anna. 

"Maybe she went on the stage?" Beth asked. I nod, irritated that I hadn't thought of it previously, and climb onto the stage. I tell Beth to follow me and we go on separate ends of the stage. 

"Have you found anything?" Beth calls to me. 

"Nothing yet. I think we should- ARGH!" I fall through the floor and end up under the stage. The drop was only about six feet, so I know I haven't hurt anything too much. 

"Miss Elizabeth! Are you alright?" Beth asks frantically. 

"I'm fine, Beth," I tell her. I pick up my flashlight and look for a way out. Behind me, I see a tunnel. 

"I think I found a way out," I tell her. 

"Do you think the rebel went there?" She asks. I shrug and point the light down the tunnel. 

"Come on, Beth," I coax her. "Come down with me." Beth sits down on the ledge and gently pushes herself towards the ground below. She lands gracefully on her feet in front of me and smiles up at me. 

"Ready?" I ask her. Beth nods and follows me into the ominous tunnel.

~~~~

"Andy! Andy!" 

I turn around and see Ash and CC dart into the control room. The two men are out of breath and CC leans forward with his hands on his knees. I wonder where they came from, since our base isn't that large. 

"What's going on? Where did you guys leave Anna?" I ask them. CC points to the doorway, where my eyes lay on a girl leaning into the room before quickly turning back into the hallway. 

"We were watching the security cameras and we saw two girls jump down off of the stage. They're on their way here right now," Ashley informs me. I stare at him for a moment and reach for my walkie.

"Lindsey, where are you and Avia?" I ask. I hear a crackling on the other end before she answers. 

"We're in the mess hall. What's going on?" Lindsey's rough voice replies. 

"I need you both to get Anna in the van while Ashley, CC, and I take care of something. Can you do that for me?" I ask her. 

"We're on it. We'll be there in a minute." The device goes to static and the three of us make our way to the doors. Anna starts to walk with us before I stop her.

"You have to stay here, Anna," I tell her. She looks up at me with her bright blue eyes and silently pleads to go with us. It isn't easy for her to be stuck inside all day everyday, but after the close call yesterday, I don't want to take the chance. 

"I promise I'll be back, just stay here." I turn away from her and follow Ashley and CC into the tunnel with the hope that it's just a couple of kids and nothing else.

~~~~

"Do you hear that, miss?" Beth asks me. There was a loud bang that echoed through the tunnel. It sounded like a heavy door or a gunshot. I hope it was a door.

"I heard it. Let's keep going. The end has to be close," I reassure her. I feel like I'm hoping against hope right now. It's been almost fifteen minutes since we walked through this tunnel, and there is no sign of it stopping anytime soon. My forehead is moist with sweat and my breathing starts to become heavy. It's a wonder how anybody could live down here, if they do at all.

Beth stops suddenly and we hear footsteps running toward us. I turn around and pray that it isn't the guards. I don't think I'd be able to talk my way out of trouble if it is. 

"Stay right there!" A hoarse voice demands. His voice is vaguely familiar. I turn back around and feel my chest tighten. It's the man from my dream. 

"Why the hell is the daughter of F.E.A.R. down here?" One of his companions asks. Beth looks at me with frightened eyes and I know that if I say the wrong thing I might not make it home. 

"I was hoping to find the rebel girl from yesterday to make sure she got back unharmed," I confess. They look at me skeptically and I learn that nothing I say will convince them that I am a friend. 

"Her name was Anna," I tell them. "The guards were after her and I helped her escape. Do you know her?" The leader's expression softens for a moment, but is soon replaced by a glare. 

"There's no one named Anna here," he snarls. "Go back to where you came from and stay away from here." A crackling comes from his hip and the distorted voice of a female comes through.

"Andy, there's F.E.A.R. guards entering the tunnel! Get out of there now!" She screams frantically. My mind races. Josh called the guards to look for us. 

"She brought them to us!" The other companion accuses. They look back at me and Beth starts to shake. 

"I didn't lead anyone here!" I plead. "It was only me and Beth!" The leader doesn't say a word. Instead, he walks towards us and hits me over the head with the butt of his gun.


End file.
